After exposure to COVID-19, the average incubation period—the time from infection to symptom onset—is about 3 to 5 days, but it can range from 2 to 14 days depending on the variant and individual factors

. During this incubation period, you may already be contagious. For testing, it is generally recommended to wait about 5 days after exposure before taking a COVID-19 test to allow the viral load to build up enough for detection

. Testing earlier than 3 days may result in false negatives, so if you test negative initially but still suspect infection, retesting after 48 hours is advised

. If you test positive, isolation should begin immediately. The CDC and other health authorities recommend isolating for at least 5 days from the onset of symptoms or from the positive test date if asymptomatic

. You can end isolation after 5 days if you have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication and symptoms are improving; otherwise, continue isolating until symptoms improve

. After isolation, wearing a mask around others for an additional 5 days is advised to reduce transmission risk

. In summary:

• Incubation period: 2 to 14 days (average 3-5 days)
• Recommended testing time: about 5 days post-exposure (or earlier if symptoms develop)
• Isolation if positive: at least 5 days, ending after 24 hours fever-free and symptom improvement
• Continue masking for 5 days after isolation ends

This approach helps detect infection accurately and reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others